Daily US Times: Joe Biden has received his first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine live on TV, saying he was getting the jab to show Americans it is “safe to take.”

The US President-elect joins a growing number of political leaders getting the vaccine, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice-President Mike Pence.

On Sunday, the roll-out began for a Moderna vaccine, the second vaccine in the US, which was approved last week.

More than 500,000 Americans are said to have now been vaccinated.

“I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine,” Mr Biden, who will take the White House on January 20, said from Newark, Delaware, where he got the jab live on TV. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

Mr Biden said the Trump administration “deserves some credit” for launching the country’s vaccine programme.

Earlier in the day, Mr Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, received her first dose. Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff are expected to receive their first vaccine doses next week.

The Biden team has set a goal of 100 million coronavirus vaccinations in the US during the administration’s first 100 days in the White House.

During the Covid pandemic, the US has recorded more than 319,000 deaths and 18 million cases.

President Trump has not said when he intends to get the vaccine.

Mr Trump is now one of last of the country’s top elected officials to have not received the first of the course of two shots.

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